If this is your first visit, be sure to
check out the FAQ by clicking the
link above. You may have to register
before you can post: click the register link above to proceed. To start viewing messages,
select the forum that you want to visit from the selection below.

Re: TRAVEL DIARY: Jundo Goes To China

How lovely – a little daughter. One of those I never had; just 3 now-grown-up sons, one of whom was adopted at 3 days old. As you no doubt are experiencing Jundo, ‘that don’t make no difference’. I never at any stage considered him less my son than his brothers. However an intriguing fact emerged. This was that although knew his birth mother he had little contact in the early years and yet displayed all her characteristics and temperament - even the way she laughed. That was kind of nice in its’ own way. Another point was that we never hid the fact that he was adopted and he grew up completely comfortable with the situation. We are still Mum and Dad.
Cheers
m

Re: TRAVEL DIARY: Jundo Goes To China

Originally Posted by michaeljc

Another point was that we never hid the fact that he was adopted and he grew up completely comfortable with the situation. We are still Mum and Dad.
Cheers
m

Yes, we are quite open about it with our adopted son ... and will be with our daughter, trying to help them understand appropriate to their ages and maturity. You are right ... it makes no difference. Also, if they do take after their birth parents, we are grateful to them for leaving us two such sweet kids.

My wife and I feel that a husband and wife are unrelated strangers who "adopt each other" in falling in love and marrying, thereby making a family. It is no different when children are adopted and make a family.

Re: TRAVEL DIARY: Jundo Goes To China

TRAVEL DAIRY VII:

Well, it has been a week of just getting acquainted with our new daughter ... and it already feels like she has been part of us forever. I am not saying this just because she is my child .. but, WHAT A SWEETIE! I am happy to report that she is already running up to me several times a day, giving me a big hug and a smile and a babyish "PAPA, PAPA!". This also causes my son to run over to me, a little jealous perhaps, and give me a "PAPA" hug! I am enjoying the double appreciation! The baby is not quite sure about Mina as "MAMA" yet ... which causes some dirty looks my way from my wife when I get a "PAPA" from the kids. However, I assure Mina that it is just a matter of time! My diaper changing skills are coming back! Once again, practicing the Samu of Dirty Diaper changing!

Most of our time has been spent solving a last minute glitch at the Japanese consulate, which actually caused the Japanese Consul himself to get involved, give us so much of his time and personal attention, and cut some big red tape for us. Wonderful how the wheels of government sometimes work ... especially if there is a child involved. Much bowing in his direction many times, and thanks to him, my daughter today received her visa to enter Japan. Thanks to the US consul, she also received all necessary paperwork to become a US citizen in the coming months.

The rest of our time has been spent eating Dim Sum and various exotic dishes, drinking tea of all kinds ...

and enjoying the relatively warm weather (I understand that Tsukuba is freezing). Oh, and making my first major pants purchase in three years (I certainly will not bother you with the details of that, and my hunt for "fat American" sizes throughout the countries of Asia).

Oh, and Nanhuasi published two films of their recent Winter Sesshin, seen here if you play the screen at the very top left of this page. I will get those posted.
Much of what is shown in the video I described in my earlier post in this thread

Re: TRAVEL DIARY: Jundo Goes To China

TRAVEL DAIRY VIII:

Hey Guys,

Well, our family is heading back to Japan today, one more person than when we came. We are all looking forward to being back in Tsukuba, where about a dozen of Mina's family will gather for a party to welcome Sada and celebrate the New Year.

I am looking forward to the familiar in Japan, although my wife and I always enjoy the chaos and vibrancy of China. I must say that it is a very different place from when she and I were students here 25 years ago ... when this country was just coming out into the world from Mao, the Cultural Revolution was still a fresh memory for most people. In those days, much of China still looked, and people lived, like they must have for hundreds of years before (something still true in parts of China, but you have to look harder for it). Much of the rest of the country did not look that different from how North Korea looks today! Most older folks still dressed in Mao jackets, the bicycle was the way for millions to get across town, the stores were pretty empty. In winter, the air was thick with soot from countless coal heaters.

... Now, Chinese cities like Guangzhou and Beijing look more like the world's largest shopping mall, with all the tact of Las Vegas! The water buffalo and bicycle have been replaced by BMWs. Consumerism and consumption seem to have run rampant, and the amount of 'stuff' for sale makes Americans look like the Amish in their restraint! Maybe China is becoming a giant Wal-mart on steroids ... all "Made In China". Oh, the old culture is still there ... and just below the surface ... but one has to look past all the plastic to find it. The air is so thick with pollution ... even worse than the old days ... that all our throats are sore, and one can literally see the air one breaths (the lack of environmental laws helping to fund all those cheap goods on Christmas store shelves for the rest of the world).

Perhaps something between the two extremes would be a healthier. Communism did not work, and it is a fact that this kind of rampant consumption capitalism cannot work either ... not for the long term. It has made some things so much better than before, and some things so much worse.

Re: TRAVEL DIARY: Jundo Goes To China

I was allowed to post these here, where they are a bit easier to see. Worth looking at, especially if you are a "Zendo wonk" ... For all the differences (the emphasis on Amida Buddha, for example), it is amazing how little things changed in Zen Hall procedures between two traditions that pretty much went their own ways, with little contact, 800 years ago.

The same, but sometimes very different. Different, but precisely the same.

short one ...
[youtube]
[/youtube]

longer one ...

And you get to play "Where's Jundo?", cause I am in there somewhere. In fact, my big cameos come about the 00:20 and 02:50 marks of the second film ... where I can be found cruising in the inside "slow lane" of the Kinhin highway, closest to the Buddha statue

Here is an MP3 of the lovely way many chants are sung in the Sung (China). In this case, it is the 4 Vows (Beings are numberless ... )

I’ve posted a tour for next fall on the south mountain website that will be very special indeed. It will include the Dharma seats of Huineng (Nanhua), Yunmen, Moshan, Huangbo, Baizhang, Mazu, Daoxin, Hongren, Nanquan, and Dogen. It will go to the heart of the matter.

Re: TRAVEL DIARY: Jundo Goes To China

Originally Posted by Jundo

... Now, Chinese cities like Guangzhou and Beijing look more like the world's largest shopping mall, with all the tact of Las Vegas! The water buffalo and bicycle have been replaced by BMWs. Consumerism and consumption seem to have run rampant, and the amount of 'stuff' for sale makes Americans look like the Amish in their restraint! Maybe China is becoming a giant Wal-mart on steroids ... all "Made In China". Oh, the old culture is still there ... and just below the surface ... but one has to look past all the plastic to find it. The air is so thick with pollution ... even worse than the old days ... that all our throats are sore, and one can literally see the air one breaths (the lack of environmental laws helping to fund all those cheap goods on Christmas store shelves for the rest of the world).

Yep. Lived here 12 years. China's in Development right now, not too different from Japan years ago from what I hear. Also, 1.3 Billion people is a lot. When things are focused on development and money, consumerism etc, your going to get a pretty polluted environment. I don't even notice the air. What air? lol The best you can do is not pollute too much yourself.

Everyone wants what everyone has in the states and developed countries, cars, house, comfortable lifestyle etc. But everyone has to work. Things are pretty laxed here, but you just live with it. I don't even notice it I've lived here that long (to an extent). Pretty much the same as anywhere.

I live in Dalian though, not Beijing, or Gaungzhou. Guangzhou is pretty big. But whatever,